Medina favored in Dominican election; economy beats graft claims

SANTA DOMINGO May 15 (Reuters) - Dominican Republic
President Danilo Medina is poised to win the first round of a
presidential election on Sunday, with polls showing voters
crediting him with economic growth and social projects, while
less concerned about accusations of graft.

It was unclear whether Medina would get the more than 51
percent of the votes needed to win a new term governing the
Caribbean's largest economy, or if he will face a run-off
election next month. Results are expected to be known on Monday.

The left-of-center economist has had high popularity ratings
during his four-year term in the country of 10.4 million.
Electoral rules were changed to allow him to run for a second
straight term.

"I won't be satisfied until progress reaches everyone, when
growth means a table full of food for everyone. When a
sustainable economy means increasingly more quality jobs and
dignified income for the families," Medina, 64, said at a rally
to close his campaign on Thursday.

Medina's Dominican Liberation Party has been continuously in
power since 2004. Ideologically, there is little to distinguish
him from his main rival, Luis Abinader. The challenger has
instead focused on allegations of corruption related to a power
plant awarded to Brazilian engineering conglomerate Grupo
Odebrecht.

Medina's campaign chief João Santana returned to Brazil in
February to face charges Odebrecht had paid him funds siphoned
from Brazil's state oil company Petrobras in offshore accounts
to finance the 2014 election campaign of suspended Brazilian
President Dilma Rousseff.

Medina has yet to refer to the Petrobras scandal, but he did
admit the Brazilian political strategist was his top advisor.
Santana has called the allegations against him "baseless."

While the Dominican Republic is far wealthier than Haiti,
its poor neighbor on the island of Hispaniola, many Dominicans
still struggle to satisfy basic needs.
Continuación...